Our Income Tax Planning Department has broad experience, with tax lawyers who are nationally recognized because of their published articles and teaching for premiere professional organizations, including the USC Tax Institute, the Hawaii Tax Institute, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the California Continuing Education of the Bar, the California CPA Foundation, and the Tax Section of the State Bar of California. Our income tax expertise is especially important in helping to guide owners of closely held businesses. Our expertise includes the following:

Resolution of tax controversies with the Internal Revenue Service

Resolution of tax controversies with the State of California, including residency, commercial domicile, sales tax, and similar issues

Income tax planning for the acquisition, disposition, merger, spinoff, or re-structuring of businesses

Executive compensation, including stock options and other techniques

Corporate tax

Partnership tax

Advice regarding the structure of new ventures, including choice of entity and other tax planning

The Process

We pride ourselves on the fact that our income tax planning department is integrated with the rest of our practice. Our tax planning is not provided as an afterthought to your business or real estate transactions, but rather an integrated part of our services to you. Our objective is to alert you to income tax planning opportunities as you plan and conduct your business and investments.

We also pride ourselves on being “team players” who collaborate with your CPAs, financial planners, and other professionals to not only provide you with the best ideas, but to make sure they are properly implemented.

More than any other area, income tax rules are constantly changing. Even when rates stay the same, shifts in enforcement activity, the approaches taken by the IRS and other taxing authorities, and regulatory changes may dictate significant changes in strategy or implementation. We pride ourselves on providing timely, sound advice to our clients to legally minimize their tax liabilities and take advantage of planning opportunities.